Chapter 3 The Fallen Heavens.
Just as they left the forest they had to start walking, the Shadow-Walkers could go no further, they survived by being dead, hunters thought they got them all and were happy with that.
Allen led Hitomi and Van though the slums of Asturia once there were no slums to this powerful harbour city, once Asturia was the most powerful nation outside Zaibach. The war had taken its toll on Asturia, the king- king Aston had been taken ill many times in the last two years, which made some people sympathetic; it made others angry for he refused to hand power over to Millerna, his youngest daughter and heir to the throne. This was why Asturias slums were getting worse, why opium had taken over those who suffered, making them worse.
Hitomi could not believe her eyes sewage ran though makeshift gutters, children ran round half naked with no shoes, mothers going though bins to feed kids standing near by, men with missing limbs staggered around. The place stank of human faeces and rotting food. This was not the Asturia she knew, Hitomi reached for Vans hand as they past a young child who's bones could be seen as clear as day.
As they held hands Allen walked in front, he stayed silent; they both knew what he thought. He turned down and ally way that led to a high gate, he jumped over; they heard him land and mess with a few locks.
"Allen!" Allen opened the gate there was a young woman standing by a back door at the end of a stone garden; she wore a brown ragged dress and had short dirty blonde hair. "Allen; who are these people? They here to help? We better get you in before someone sees, there's an award now; a pretty penny for your head Allen; any man would hand you in." The woman closed the gate and ushered them inside.
She walked right into an opened planed room; it contained everything, table, chairs, sofa, and kitchen. There was a stair case that led to a balcony leading off to four doors. It was quiet in the house but noise could be heard beyond the closed front door which was boarded over.
"I'm glad you're here Allen I'm worried for Kay, she hasn't been seen, everyone knows she's ere, word got out the king wanted to see her, I hear he wants to know what's going on with Fanelia and if the rumours are true!" By 'Kay' the woman must have meant Kari; and what rumours was Asturia under threat too?
"I'm not sure Maria, I saw her leave, and I'm sure the Knights wouldn't bother her; with Karn and Narnia around!" Allen and the others sat round the table, Maria tried to the taps but ending up shouting and cursing whilst hitting the things to get them to work.
After five minutes Allen had his head stuck under the cabernet fixing the pipes for her, before she became aggressive towards something else apart from the taps.
"He's quiet handy that Allen, he can do a lot with is hands more than hold a sword, so tell me about yourself; I hear your names Hitomi; so where you from Hitomi?" Maria was very nice and didn't care how she talked or behaved around or towards anybody.
"Oh well…" Hitomi was worried about saying she was from the Mystic Moon, the name the people of Gaea called Earth, but lucky for her a girl came bursting in.
"Hay where's Allen?" The young girl had bight red hair in pigtails; she wore a pair of what were once trousers turned to shorts held up by an oversized belt and black strap top, she looked around 14.
Maria pointed to the sink. The young girl kicked Allen who obviously had not heard her come in. As she kicked him, Allen jerked this was followed by a bang and laughter from the girl, Allen emerged from under the sink and stood to face the girl who sat on the counter.
"Hay cutie! Have fun under there?" Did any girls or any one for that matter have any respect for Allen now, since he left the Knights Caeli?
"Shiarn! Should have known, what you doing here?" Allen rubbed his head, where he had banged it.
"I've come to play Blondie! It's a guessing game. Your friends can play too!" She pointed towards Van and Hitomi. She was crazy worse than merle.
Van was looking out the window it was about to rain when Shiarn popped in front of him, this made him jump and step backwards falling over a chair. Shiarn started to laugh and Hitomi helped him up.
"Hay this guys fun, and cute! Where you find him?"
"Get on with it Shiarn!" Maria was losing her temper the taps now worked but she could not light the fire.
"OK, well it's about a country with an asshole for a king." Shiarn leaned on Allens shoulder whilst sitting on the counter again.
"Why don't you just tell us something straight for once Shiarn?" He looked at Shiarn who put on puppy dog eyes, Allen sighed "Asturia?" Shiarn jumped of the counter and ran round the room ending up next to Van who was sat at the table with Hitomi.
"HA! Wrong try again," Van answered it was his first word in ages.
"Fanelia?" Shiarn's eyes grew larger.
"Yer that's right! Cute, funny and smart too. Who are you?" Van looked at the young girl. Unenthusiastically he answered her question.
"The asshole!" Van got up and walked back to the window, it was raining now, but not hard. Everyone looked towards Van.
Shiarn shrieked and ran outside she did a little dance round and round the stone garden then came running back in. Allen and Van raised an eyebrow on this odd behaviour, Hitomi looked so confused and a vain in Maria's head could be seen pulsing.
"Sorry asshole its not sorrow rain, that was what you were wondering right?"
"ARRGGHHH!" Shiarn was lying on the floor "GET ON WITH IT GIRL!" Maria had lost her last nerve and thrown the kettle she held at the unaware Shiarn.
"OK, OK. God, man you're dangerous. Keep her away from the cutlery, hay speaking of dangerous I heard what happened to Gelguran. God Kay…!"
"SHIARN!" Everyone shouted at her which made her jump and sit down.
"OK, fine, hmmm, right, Fanelia, well I hear that Kari knows who did it and why but she's not going to tell yet, but that's not why I'm here." Maria went for Shiarn's throat but Allen grabbed her in time. Van was not interested in the rest of her news, Kari knew who had destroyed Fanelia and why. He had to find Kari, but he knew she would be hard to find; so he decided to wait for her to turn up again.
"Yikes! Chill Maria, I'm here because there's a survivor in Quintez some cat girl, she heard your name Allen, and made it clear she knew you before she passed out!" Van turned to Shiarn and grabbed her by the shoulders.
"A cat girl, from Fanelia. Did you get her Name? Did she say anything? What she look like? Was her name Merle?" Van walked past Shiarn after leaving her quiet shuck up "Allen we have to go back to Quintez, Please we have to go back its most likely Merle!" Allen had his arms crossed and his eyes closed and was leaning on the counter.
"No Van, Kari wanted us to be here, so this is where we'll be," Allen opened his eyes he saw the discontent on Van's face and sighed, "Shiarn go to Quintez, find out about this cat girl. If it is Merle bring her here." This was the Allen Hitomi knew, calm and strong not some rouge nicknamed 'Blondie' that fixed sinks and let people call him 'cutie'.
Shiarn saluted mockingly towards Allen and left the same way she came this seemed to clam Van down.
When it became dark Allen helped Maria turn on the lights and make up the spare rooms. Allen was to share with Van and Hitomi got the room Kari usually stayed in when she was around.
Hitomi walked around the small room, it contained a small bed, a desk and a wardrobe. Hitomi's curiosity got the better of her and she opened the wardrobe. In it were several white dresses; as she looked through the items of clothing something fell out the back, Hitomi jumped backwards, it was a sword. The sword had come out of its scabbard a little, she looked at it closer, the blade was black!
Hitomi panicked and pushed the sword back into its scabbard; as she touched the sword she had a vision.
Kari was stood with small cuts on her face and rips in her dress, she held some sort of staff and was bleeding heavily from her arm, Hitomi was stood watching as a black figure charged at Kari the sword it held had a black blade it sliced though the staff with ease and cut Kari badly across the stomach, the thing kept cutting Kari until a void of white light grew larger and covered the black figure.
Hitomi soon came out of the vision; she had been shocked by what she saw. She quickly pushed the sword back into the wardrobe and went to bed.
When she woke and walked out her room everyone was already down at the table Maria looked like she had finally got a fire up since everyone had a mug in their hands.
"Hay Hitomi, tea? Van got the fire working," Maria held up her mug to Hitomi and smiled.
Suddenly a bang came from the back and armoured men came running into the room, Van ran upstairs to Hitomi.
"Allen Schezar; by order of the king your presence is required to see him and discuss your current status." The men led Allen, Van and Hitomi towards the castle. Hitomi could not help but wonder if her vision was a warning of the future or something from the past, she did have that scar on her face after all.
As Allen walked he kept his eye on the closest soldiers to him, he could not help think if it was a trap and how they knew where they were. Van liked the others stayed silent, Kari knew what was going on he had to find out what she Knew.
A/N: thanx to gemma and Feather Black 4 the nice reviews plz review this capter since i thought it was a lil iffy. Chapter 4 coming soon.
Disclaimer: I do not own Escaflowne or anything to do with it. But i do own Kari n a few other ppl that turn up like poker n maria(the list is very long ish) so plz dont use them wiv out asking (y ne one would i have no idea)